


Safe

by datleggy



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Dad Evan "Buck" Buckley, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, firefam - Freeform, tsunami
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 11:21:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21793975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/datleggy/pseuds/datleggy
Summary: PROMPT: I freaking ADORE your 911 fics. This is kind of a generic prompt, but I would love to see your take on some buddie tsunami angst y/y?i loved how the show handled it but my ideal would've been if buck never lost christopher bc my HEART and also eddie realizes his child and bf (best friend...boyfriend, what's the difference) are missing BEFORE they're found. so this was my take :)
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley & Christopher Diaz, Evan "Buck" Buckley & Maddie Buckley, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz
Comments: 31
Kudos: 614





	1. Chapter 1

“Oh  _ shit _ .” Buck thinks this is the one time it is absolutely a-ok to curse in front of a child. 

Christopher’s eyes are as wide as he’s ever seen them; he watches the wave get bigger and bigger as it heads towards the pier. Towards  _ them _ . 

The initial fear, which froze Buck up, finally turns into alarm, and then he’s scooping the kid into his arms and running like mad, yelling at others on the pier to do the same. 

After that, it’s total chaos. 

Buck tries to keep a firm hold on Christopher, but when the tsunami hits, it is so much stronger than he could have ever imagined, and he feels little arms scrambling in the water to keep their grip on his shoulders. 

It’s useless.

Christophers’ small body is ripped away from his instantly. Buck screams but he can barely hear himself among the others. “CHRISTOPHER!” he sputters, salt water in his lungs. 

“BUCK!” 

Buck coughs, trying to keep above the water as wave after relentless wave crashes over his head. “CHRISTOPHER! I’M COMING!” he yells out, even though he can’t see a thing, has no idea where the boy is. 

“KEEP CALLING ME!” he coughs again, trying to stay afloat, kicking as hard as he can. 

“BUCK! BUCK!” 

He starts swimming against the current, in the direction where he heard his name. He’s nearby, thank God. “CHRIS!” 

There, in the not too far distance, up against a long, surprisingly sturdy pole, is Christopher, holding on for dear life. “BUCK!” he cries out again, when he sees him. 

“HOLD ON! I’M COMING!” the ex-firefighter continues to make his way towards him, but it’s hard going, the current is strong and pushing him further out to sea. 

“BUCK PLEASE!” Christopher sobs, one hand attempting to reach out. “BUCK!” 

Buckley’s muscles scream in protest as he pushes them beyond their limit. “I’M COMING!” he shouts, just as a piece of debris (what must have been a part of a small row-boat at some point) comes ricocheting towards him. 

Instead of ducking out of the way, Buck grabs onto it and uses it as leverage, kicking against it to propel himself forward. To his surprise, it works. He’s just in reach of Christopher!

“BUCK!” Christopher reaches out again, his fingers brushing against Buck’s. 

Buck pushes himself the rest of the way there, kicking with all his might. He flings himself around Christopher, breathing out a deep sigh of relief, arms wrapping securely around the kid. 

Christopher turns around to grip at Buck and tucks his face up against his shoulder. “You came!” he cries. “I was so scared for you.” 

Buck’s whole heart nearly breaks then and there. “You were scared for  _ me _ ?” 

He feels the eight year old nod frantically. “Yeah, couldn’t find you.” 

Buckley holds on just a little tighter, “Me too, Christopher. I thought I’d lost you.” his voice shakes on the last few words. He doesn’t know what he would have done if--he doesn’t even want to think the thought. 

Another wave crashes down over their heads and all the warning they get before the pole they’re using as support to keep them in place breaks, is a very loud screeching sound. 

“HOLD ON!” Buckley screams, one hand going to protect Christophers’ head, the other tight around his waist. 

The current drags them fast and hard, and Buck kicks frantically to keep them afloat, panic clawing at his mind. What if he’s not strong enough? What if his stupid leg gives out? What if his grip is too weak? What if he gets separated from Christopher again? 

“BUCK! A TRUCK!” Christophers outburst snaps him back to reality. 

Buck turns in time to see the top of a sunken fire truck. “Chris, bud, I need you to use all your strength to hold onto me so I can get us to that truck, ok?” 

Christopher tightens his hold around his neck and nods in affirmation, determined. 

“Good job!” now able to use at least one arm to swim, the other still wound about the kids’ waist, he directs them over to the truck, narrowly avoiding debris around the vehicle. “Ok, ok, now I need you to let go so I can hoist you up there, buddy.” 

Christopher’s grip tightens. “I’m scared.” he admits softly. 

Buck’s heart does break into pieces this time. “I know, Christopher, I know, because I am too, but you’ve been so  _ brave _ , and I’m so proud; as soon as you’re up there I’m gonna’ join you and we’ll be together again, ok?” 

Christopher’s grip loosens enough for him to look Buck in the eye. “You promise?” 

Buck nods. “I promise.” 

Christopher lets himself be unceremoniously placed atop the truck, and then it’s Buck’s turn. He’s weak from all his impromptu swimming and fails to lift himself up the first time, and the second time. His third attempt he manages to get most of himself up there, and with Christophers’ help, he pulls the rest of himself onto the truck safely. 

“Thanks.” he breathes out, suddenly beyond exhausted now that he’s stopped moving. 

Everything  _ hurts _ . 

Regardless, Buck lifts Christopher up onto his lap, so that he’s not sitting in the water filling the truck. He rubs his hands up and down the kids’ back and sides to generate some type of warmth. They might be stuck waiting for rescue for a while, and Buck would rather hypothermia not be the thing to do them in. 

He fishes his cell out of his pocket, shocked it’s even still in there. His wallet is probably somewhere in the middle of the pacific by now. 

His phone is waterproof, but the cracked screen means it’s definitely taken some damage. He tries it anyway, dialing Eddie’s number. It starts ringing. “Please please please.” he half-whispers into the speaker. 

“Buck?” he hears Eddie’s voice on the other end just as his phone fizzes out and dies. 

He nearly curses again, before remembering Christopher’s there. “Was that my dad?” 

Bucky nods. “Yeah, but my phone’s busted so I didn’t get to tell him where we are.” he sighs. He hopes that the call was at least enough to alert them to something being amiss, but Eddie could very well be in the middle of a rescue opp, and think of it as nothing more than a bad signal on his part. 

“It’s ok.” Christopher taps his shoulder encouragingly. 

Buck smiles down at him. The kid is seriously a rock. “Thanks Chris.” he squeezes him in a bear hug, smiling wider when that gets a giggle out of him. 

They pass the time with silly games like truth or dare and i-spy, but eventually Christopher’s eyes droop shut and he falls asleep. It’s almost nighttime, after all, and he’s had a hell of a day. Buck tries to keep him awake, but to no avail. 

At the very least, the day was sunny enough that Christopher, who he’s managed to keep out of the water, is now dry, and no longer shivering. Still, Buck rubs his hands up and down the kids’ back while he sleeps, determined to keep him warm as the sun goes down. 

Buck wonders how many other people must be in perilous situations, that not one rescue boat has been sent their way. He also hasn’t seen any other people--well, not alive at least--since they hopped on the truck. They can’t be too far from shore. 

Buck has been trying his phone every hour on the dot for the last few hours, with no luck. Despite that, he decides to try again. The screen is fuzzy at best, but that’s better than a black screen. He can’t get into his contacts or even past the home screen, so he tries the emergency call, hoping that function is still available. 

Less than two rings later he hears a very familiar voice. “9-1-1 operator, what is your emergency?” 

“Maddie?!” he half-shouts into the phone, making sure not to wake Christopher. “Is that you!?” 

“Buck? Wait, what, are you ok?” 

“We were on the pier when the tsunami hit. We need rescue asap, we managed to climb up on a firetruck, but it’s definitely sinking, I can feel it.” 

“‘We’?” 

“I’m with Christopher.” 

“Oh god, ok, ok, umm,” Maddie feels like all her training’s gone out the window. Her baby brother and Eddie’s  _ actual  _ baby are in the middle of this disaster?! “Do you know where you are?” she’s already working on tracking the gps coordinates on his phone. 

“Not really. I don’t see any buildings, just a lot of ocean...and bodies. Listen, I need you to call Eddie, tell him Christopher’s alright. I tried phoning him earlier but my phone’s broken and we got cut off before I could even say anything. It’s a miracle I was able to get through to you.” 

Maddie nods, even though she knows he can’t see her. “I will. We’re tracking your signal right now, we’re gonna’ send a team to your location as soon as possible, but stay on the phone with me, ok?” 

“Yeah, trust me, I’ve never been happier to hear your voice.” he chuckles in relief. She’s got them. Everything’s going to be ok. 

He hears her laugh in return, “Same goes to--”  **BEEEEEEP** ! 

“Shit, shit shit.” Buck stares at the phone in his hand in disbelief. It’s pitch black again. He tries to get it to start up again but all his efforts are in vain. The thing is fried. He really  _ really  _ hopes she got his coordinates before his phone decided to spazz out. 


	2. Chapter 2

The Captains face is grim but determined as he stalks forward towards Eddie. “Cap, what’s going on? Everything alright?” 

Bobby presses his lips together into a thin line, bracing himself to deliver the news. “I just finished speaking to dispatch; they received a 9-1-1 call a few moments ago. It was from Buck.” 

Eddie’s jaw locks into place. “What.”

“We’ve learned that Buck and Christopher were at the pier when the first wave hit. According to the brief call, they’re both unharmed, but they  _ are  _ in need of a rescue. Normally I would have you sit this one out--” Captain Nash continues to speak over Eddie's immediate protest, “But, because we’re stretched so thin already I’m gonna need you to gear up Diaz, got it?” 

Eddie nods, gulping hard. “Did dispatch manage to get a location?” 

“Nothing exact, but we did get a description of their surroundings and an approximate radius. We head out in five, by boat.” Bobby claps a hand on Eddie's shoulder and squeezes tightly. “We  _ will  _ find them.” He’s well aware by now, after several years on the job, that he should never make such promises, but he can’t bring himself to imagine any other outcome.

In fact, he won’t even entertain the thought of them not bringing their boys back home in one piece. 

They need to get to them and quickly. 

Before the inevitable second wave hits. 

  
  
  


*********************

  
  
  


It’s dark now and Buck is  _ trembling _ , it’s so cold. He’s surprised Christopher isn’t complaining, and is instead soundly asleep against his chest, his tiny snores like music to Buck's ears. 

The water is slowly rising and any little movement he makes has the fire truck rocking back and forth dangerously. He tries his phone again fifteen minutes after his initial call to Maddie, but unfortunately, with no luck. 

The water is frigid now that the sun has gone down completely and the waves are still extremely turbulent. Even if Buck could see shore from where they are, there’s no way he’d make it with Christopher in tow, all the way there. 

Buck curses under his breath when the truck dips further into the ocean, letting out a horrible creaking noise and waking Christopher from his peaceful slumber with a start. “Buck?!” Christopher immediately tightens his hold around his neck, tucking his head under Buck’s chin and curling inward against his upper body. 

“Shh, shh, I’m right here, don’t worry buddy, I’m right here, we’re gonna be ok.” Buck consoles him, gently rubbing a hand up and down his back and holding him close. “I managed to get through to Maddie and she’s sending help. I bet they’re on their way here right now.” 

“Really?” 

“Yup. Any minute now--” A giant wave comes crashing down hard against and right over the side of the truck, cutting Buck off abruptly. Buck manages to shield Christopher for the most part, but he can’t stop the truck from tilting further down into the water. He can feel it start to sink beneath them. “ _ Shit _ .” he coughs out. 

The engine isn’t going to stay afloat much longer, Buck fears. He needs to get ready to tread some serious water. 

  
  
  
  


**************************

  
  
  
  


It’s been about a half an hour since Eddie found out about his son and best friend being stranded somewhere in the middle of the ocean and it doesn’t sound like a lot of time, but with every single second that ticks by the pressure on Eddie’s chest increases tenfold. 

Hen snaps him out of his own dark headspace, knocking her shoulder against his on the boat. “Hey, you know Buck, he’s not gonna let anything happen to Christopher.” 

Eddie shakes his head miserably. “I’m the idiot who told him he needed to get out of the damn house this morning.” 

Hen frowns. “You can’t tell the future, Eddie, there was no way for you to know a  _ tsunami  _ of all things would hit us.” she sighs. “I know none of this is comforting to hear, and if I were in your place, if it were Karen and Denny out there, hell, I would be a wreck.” Hen looks him right in the eye. “But I’d also try my damndest to get them back. We’re not gonna quit until we find them.” 

Eddie nods, resolute. Hen’s right. He can’t muddle in his own self pity right now. Buck and Christopher need him. 

  
  
  
  


****************

  
  
  


He tries his best to keep most of Christopher’s body out of the water and dry, but it’s tough, especially with the waves being as rough as they are. The fire truck was dragged completely under by the last rocky wave, leaving the pair to tread water. 

“M’cold.” Christopher shivers against him. 

Buck grimaces. “I know, I know, I’m sorry, they’re out there looking for us, though, I promise. I just need you to hold on, ok?”

Christopher lays his chin down against the top of Buck’s head tiredly. “Ok, but I’m getting sleepy.” 

“Um, hey, hey, Chris, let’s play a game, ok?” Buck coughs when another wave of water hits him square in the face.

“What kinda game?” Christopher looks around at their surroundings. It’s so dark out now he can barely see two feet in front of him--there’s no way they can play another round of I-Spy in these conditions. 

“It’s called ‘Two truths and a lie’.” Buck’s legs are sore and the one arm he’s using to keep them afloat is practically on fire, his shoulder numb. “One of us says three things about ourselves, but out of the three, one of them isn’t true. Then the other person has to guess which one’s the lie. Here, I’ll go first. Ready?” 

Christopher nods his head above him. “Ready.” 

“Ok, so, one: I am super scared of clowns. Two: I once fell asleep while Bobby was reprimanding me. And finally, three: I beat your dad in arm wrestling last week.” 

Christopher giggles. “Umm,” he purses his lips, thinking about his answer for a moment, before replying. “I think number one is a lie. Cause you’re not afraid of anything.” 

Is that really what Christopher thinks of him? Buck tightens his grip on the kid, keeps kicking his legs, exhausted as he might be, to keep them from sinking. “You’re really good at this game.” Buck praises him, swallowing the lump in his throat. “Your turn, Superman.” 

Christopher hums, trying to come up with three facts. “Umm. One: I got a B plus on my math quiz. Two: uh, my favorite color is blue.” 

Buck starts to smile at that--he knows for a fact that Christopher’s favorite color is yellow--until Christopher softly mutters, “Three: I’m scared, Buck.” 

“I’m not gonna let anything happen to you, Christopher.” Buck squeezes him gently but firmly. “I--” Buck pauses, gasping. “Help’s here!” 

Christopher turns his head slightly and squints at the light he can just barely see. “Help?” 

“Yeah bud,” Buck grins, hope swelling in his chest. “Hey!” he yells out, “Over here! Hey!” Another strong current has Buck choking on salt water and gasping for air. Thankfully he’s able to keep Christopher up and above the waves splash zone. “Help!” he screams out. The light is slowly becoming dimmer as the boat starts to veer further away from them. 

Shit. 

“It’s leaving.” 

“Christopher, I need you to hold onto my neck, ok, I’m gonna put you on my back and we’re gonna swim for it. We’re gonna try and make as much noise as possible. Can you do that for me?” 

Christopher nods, determined. Buck can’t help but be reminded of Eddie right then. “Here,” Buck transfers Christopher onto his back and has him wrap his little arms around his neck. He knows how hard it’s going to be for Christopher to maintain his grip, but he also knows that if that boat keeps sailing in the opposite direction they’re goners for sure. 

That boat is their last hope. 

“M’ready Bucky.” Christopher tucks his face against the back of Buck’s neck and squares his shoulders. 

Buck starts swimming forward, ignoring the pain pulling at his shoulders, yelling in between strokes. “HELP! WE’RE OVER HERE!” 

Christopher joins him, screaming for help as loudly as he can manage, until suddenly he finds himself slipping. “Buck!” He cries out, as he feels his fingers begin to lose their grasp. 

But Buck can’t hear Christopher over the sound of the waves hitting him or his own screams. It isn’t until he suddenly can’t feel the constant weight he’s been carrying around for the better part of the day that he stops dead in the water, his heart plummeting down to his stomach like a lead anchor. “Christopher! CHRISTOPHER?!” He dives in head first, eyes wide open, even though it’s so dark he couldn’t see his hand if it were directly in front of his face. 

He flails his arms around frantically, feeling his way around until finally his hand catches on Christophers shirt. He latches on and pulls them both up above the surface of the ocean. “Christopher!” The eight year old gasps for air and flings his arms around Bucks shoulders, shaking with sobs. “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize-- _ I’m sorry _ .” Buck holds onto Christopher with both arms this time, using what’s left of his flagging strength to kick below and keep them afloat. 

He can’t see the light from the boat anymore. In fact, they got so turned around Buck isn’t even sure if this was the direction he’d originally intended on going. 

“BUCK?! CHRIS!?” 

Buck turns towards the sound, disoriented, only to be blinded by the lights shining from a rescue boat a few yards away. “OVER HERE!” he calls out, in spite of the fact that his throat is so raw and sore it feels like knives when he speaks. 

The boat stops not too far from where they are and Buck hooks an arm around the buoy thrown towards them, letting Bobby and Chim rheel them closer. “Buck!” The Captain takes Christopher out of his arms first, handing him to Chimney, before helping Buck onto the boat. 

A few moments later, as Buck is trying to catch his breath, another rescue boat emerges out from the darkness of the murky waters, revealing Hen and Eddie. “How is he?! Are they ok?!” Eddie’s heart is pounding erratically in his chest. He wants nothing more than to jump onto the other boat and hold his son in his arms. 

“Cold as ice, but alive!” Chimney assures him, bundling Christopher up in a space blanket and holding him up so Eddie can see that he’s alright. “Isn’t that right, kiddo?” 

Christopher sniffles. “Daddy?” 

“Yeah honey, I’m right here, you’re ok, you’re gonna be ok. I promise.” Eddie doesn’t like to cry very often, and even less so in front of others, but he thinks this one time he can make an exception. “I’m right here, don’t worry.” he doesn’t even care that his voice cracks so terribly. 

“We need to start heading towards shore. Get them to the closest med tent we’ve got set up in the north bay asap.” The Captain orders, cutting the reunion short. He knows exactly how Eddie feels--he feels it too, but right now it’s more important to get their boys back on land where it’s warm and safe. 

The ride back is surprisingly quiet. Christopher refuses to stay even a centimeter away from Buck the whole way there, burrowing himself up against his side, seeking shelter in his arms, which Buck gladly gives. Hen and Eddie ride a little ahead of them, their lights guiding them. 

Bobby looks back at the pair, who, against all odds, managed to survive this hellish day, in awe. “You did good, Buck. Real good.” 

Buck looks up and nods, fatigued, holding Christopher close as they reach their destination. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanku for waiting like 2 years for this update, i promise the last chapter will be out by next week and not in another 2 years iuofvhduphbjfliugb


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